On Sunday, March 8, 2026 Pennsylvania celebrates its Charter Day! It commemorates the 1681 charter granting the land that became Pennsylvania, from England’s King Charles II to William Penn. It will be the state’s 345th anniversary!
There are going to be special events and celebrations held all over the state, including at Eckley Miners’ Village near Hazleton.
The village will be open for walks and guided tours (weather permitting). And in the morning, there will be a presentation at the Visitor Center by Dave Matsinko, a renowned musician, about the traditional folk ballads and stories of the coal region.
In the afternoon, I’ll be giving a talk about my book, “You Dream Every Night That I am Home.” In it are real-life letters written by a 22-year-old soldier from Eckley who went off to serve in the Union Army in the Civil War. The letters were to his new wife Hester, who was 4 months pregnant when he was sent to serve.
We’ll be looking at the people from Eckley who John talked about in his letters–people who were some of the very first inhabitants of Eckley.
ChessieWriter 